Condensate remover



June 5, 1956 F. SCHMITZ 2,749,046

CONDENSATE REMOVER Filed Jan. 21, 1955 FIG.2

INVENTOR FRIEDRICH SCHMITZ BY v ATTORNEYJ.

United States atent O F CONDENSATE REMOT ER Friedrich Schmitz, Koln-Sulz, Germany I Application JanuaryZl, 1953, Serial No. 332,487

Claims priority, application Germany January 21, 1952 I 6 Claims. c1. 236-59) It is. the purpose of condensate removers to let run,

down permanently and as quickly as possible the accumulated condensate but to render more difficult or prevent completely the passage of vapour. It is desired to obtain the possibility of adjustment over a large range of temperatures. Besides the device shall be sensitive to small variations of temperature so that it may work correctly and promptly in response to the actual conditions in the conduit.

There are known condensate removers in which the discharge opening for the normal quantity of liquid is combined with the discharge opening for the increased quantity of liquid in case of a rush, the cross section orwidth of this single discharge opening being made adjustable. The adjustment of the cross section of the discharge openingis effected automatically, for example by means of floats or the like, in accordance with the actual load or the quantity of condensate streaming in per unit of time respectively. The known devices of this kind show the drawback that they are working very slowly and do not respond in a quick and reliable manner to the conditions in the conduit. Moreover there result large casings which require much room. The manufacturing costs of such a condensate remover are high.

The object of the invention is a condensate remover in which the above drawbacks are eliminated. Its essential feature consists therein that the member for varying the cross section of the discharge opening (closing member) is formed as a rotary member, the rotation of which changes the cross section of the discharge opening. For the purpose of changing the cross section of the discharge opening the rotary closing member may be provided with lateral channels. These channels may for example have the form of notches. The rotary member rests with play in the corresponding seat. The slit provided for by the play forms the discharge opening for the normal quantity of condensate.

The control of the rotary member is effected advantageously by means of a bimetal strip which preferably is wound in the form of a spiral. The one end of the bimetal strip is fastened to the rotary member while the other end is fixed in the casing.

The arrangement according to the invention oflers the advantage of the ability of quick reaction to the varying conditions of the device and of reliable function. During normal operation that is during the state of permanence of the device, the permanently open discharge opening cares for a constant removal of the accumulating condensate. The effect of the slit between the rotary member and the conduit renders more difiicult the passage of vapour so that merely watery vapours may be discharged. In case of a rush as for example when starting the device, the permanently open discharge opening is immediately so enlarged that the remover may sufiice all demands Without manual control or the like being necessary. The use of a bimetal strip in the device according to the invention otters the advantage that 2,749,046 Patented June 5, 11956 a great length may be accommodated in a small room. By the great length is obtained a high sensibility of the control.

As the rotary member rests loosely in its seat and therefore opposes no frictional effect to the rotation, the sensitive answering of the system according to the invention to the varying vapour conditions is still increased. The arrangement according to the invention further renders possible to obtain a more compact construction of condensate removers. The construction may be adapted to that of a normal valve. The condensate remover may be directly mounted between the ends of the conduit, suspended like a valve. It is suitable to effect the discharge of the liquid gradually through several chambers.

In the drawing is illustrated by way of example an embodiment of the subject matter of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal section an example of a condensate remover according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bimetal strip With the cover re moved. Fig. 3 shows in partial section the rotary member according to Fig. 1 in a different position. Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

In the illustrated example the remover consists of a casing 1, preferably having the shape of a valve. The casing 1 is provided with an inlet 2 and a bore 3 which is leading into the chamber 4. A rotary stem or bolt member 5 serves for controlling the discharge opening 6. This rotary bolt member 5 is inserted into plates 7 which form several chambers so that there results a permanently open annular discharge opening 6 in said plates 7 acting like a slit through which the condensate may be discharged during the state of permanent of the device, viz. through the openings 8 in the plate 8a upon which the rotary bolt member 5 rests and the outlet 9.

. The rotary member 5 is provided with lateral channels 10 which for example may be obtained by diametrically flattening portions of the cylindrical rotary member. When suitably rotating the rotary member 5, the channels or notches 10 in connection with the plates 7 provide an enlarged discharge opening 11. Dependent on the amount of rotation of the member 5, the cross section of the discharge opening 11 decreases or increases more or less. This variation of the cross section is effected automatically for example when starting the device at what time generally are supplied large quantities of condensate.

The control of the rotary member 5 is effected by a bimetal strip 12 which preferably is wound in the form of a spiral so that a length as great as possible may be accommodated in a small room and a greater sensibility against small variations of temperature is obtained. It may also be used in another suitable form of the bimetal strip. The one end 13 of the strip 12 may be selectively inserted into grooves 14 of the casing 1 or similar grooves in a. ring member 15. The other end 16 of the strip is connected with the rotary member 5. It may for example engage a groove 17 of the rotary member 5 as shown in Fig. 2. Dependent on the insertion of the end 13 of the bimetal strip into a groove 14, the opening point for the enlarged discharge opening may be determined. As the rotary member 5 is rested with play between the plates 7, the friction is reduced to a minimum so that the remover may answer to small variations of temperature. It may be provided with any chosen number of spacer plates with apertures 18 one after another to provide forthe desired throttling of the passage of vapour in the slit-like opening 6. The rotary movement of the rotary member 5 is advantageously limited by abutments which are not illustrated.

The casing of the remover is formed like a valve and particularly shows coaxial inlet openings 2 and outlet t3: openings 9. The chamber 4 in which is accommodated the bimetal strip may be closed by a cover 19. For the purpose of making visible the operation of the condensate remover, the cover closing the casing advantageously consists of transparent material.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a condensate remover wherein during normal operation there is a constantly open discharge opening functioning as a throttle for the passage of steam, and wherein said opening may be enlarged in the presence of excess condensate, said remover comprising a valvelike casing having an inlet at one side and an outlet at its other side, a housing rising from the casing between the inlet and outlet and in communication with said casing and having a chamber at its upper end, centrally apertured plates mounted in said housing and centrally apertured spacer plates between the aforesaid plates, a rotary bolt member freely extending through the plate apertures with its upper end disposed in said chamber, a bimetallic strip anchored at one end to the upper end of said rotary member and the other end of the strip variably anchored to the casing for initially varying the tension on said strip, the apertures in some of said plates being diametrically enlarged and said rotary member having diametrically flattened side portions adapted upon operation of the bimetallic strip to be moved into registration with said enlarged plate openings to increase the area of passage around the rotary member to the outlet of the casing.

2. In a condensate remover wherein during normal operation there is a constantly open discharge opening functioning as a throttle for the passage of steam, and wherein said opening may be enlarged in the presence of excess condensate, said remover comprising a valvelike casing having an inlet at one side and an outlet at its other side, a housing rising from the casing between the inlet and outlet and in communication with said cas. ing and having a chamber at its upper end, centrally apertured plates mounted in said housing and centrally apertured spacer plates between the aforesaid plates, a

rotary bolt member freely extending through the plate apertures with its upper end disposed in said chamber, a bimetallic strip anchored at one end to the upper end of said rotary member and the other end of the strip being anchored to the casing and said rotary member having diametrically flattened side portions adapted for varying the cross-sectional area of the space around said member.

3. A condensate remover as in claim 1, wherein the enlarged openings are formed in said spacer plates.

4. A condensate remover as in claim 1, wherein the enlarged openings are formed in said spacer plates and said enlarged openings being in alignment.

5. A condensate remover as in claim 1, wherein the connection between the bimetallic strip and casing includes a series of notches in the casing for the selective reception of the adjacent end of said strip.

6. In a condensate remover wherein during normal operation there is a constantly open discharge opening functioning as a throttle for the passage of steam, and wherein said opening may be enlarged in the presence of excess condensate, said remover including a series of centrally apertured plates and spacer rings separating said plates, the apertures in said plates constituting said constantly open discharge opening, a rotary bolt member freely passing through the openings in said plates and rings, a bimetallic strip having one end anchored to the upper end of the bolt member and said bolt member having spaced portions of reduced cross-sectional area aligned with the openings in said plates for increasing the area of said openings when the rotary member is rotated under influence of the bimetallic strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 288,622 Copeland Nov. 20, 1883 442,912 Poulson Dec. 16, 1890 894,806 Ames Aug. 4, 1908 982,229 Adair Jan. 24, 1911 2,226,200 Donnelly Dec. 24, 1940 

